Active arm passive leg exercise machine with guided leg movement

Abstract

An exercise machine has a main frame, two base link members supported for cyclical movement on base tracks on the main frame, two handles pivotal about a handle axis on the frame in which the handles are operatively connected to the base link members respectively such that a cyclical movement of the handles drives the cyclical movement of the respective base link members, a foot support carried on each base link member for supporting a respective foot of the user thereon through a walking motion of the user as the base link members are moved cyclically, a torso support on the main frame supporting a torso of the user thereon having one or more degrees of freedom relative to the main frame, and leg linkages connected between the main frame and respective ones of the base link members with bracing to secure legs of the user therein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An exercise machine comprising:
 a main frame; 
 a torso support carried on the main frame so as to be arranged to support a torso of the user thereon facing in a forward direction; 
 a crank assembly supported on the main frame so as to be rotatable about a laterally oriented crank axis, the crank assembly including two crank members rotatable together at diametrically opposing locations relative to the crank axis and at laterally opposing sides of the crank assembly; 
 two base tracks on the main frame extending longitudinally in the forward direction below the torso support in which each base track supports a respective follower member for cyclical movement longitudinally along the base track; 
 two base link members, each base link member extending longitudinally from a first connection on a respective one of the crank members to a second connection on a respective one of the follower members such that the base link members are operatively connected to one another through the crank assembly to be 180 out of phase with one another; 
 two handles supported on the main frame for pivotal movement about a handle axis, each handle being operatively connected to a respective one of the base link members such that a cyclical movement of the handle drives the cyclical movement of the follower member of the respective base link member; 
 a foot support carried on each base link member for supporting a respective foot of the user thereon; 
 two leg linkages operatively connected between the main frame and respective ones of the base link members, wherein (i) each leg linkage includes an upper link and a lower link, (ii) each upper link is pivotally coupled at a first end of the upper link on the main frame adjacent the torso support, (iii) each lower link is pivotally coupled at a first end of the lower link on a second end of the upper link, and (iv) each lower link is pivotally coupled at a second end on the respective base link member adjacent the respective foot support; and 
 bracing on each leg linkage to support a respective leg of the user relative to the leg linkage. 
 
     
     
       2. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support is arranged to support the torso of the user thereon in an upright walking orientation relative to the foot supports. 
     
     
       3. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support comprises an abdominal binder arranged to extend about the torso of user. 
     
     
       4. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support comprises a flexible sling adapted to support buttocks of the user thereon. 
     
     
       5. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support is movable relative to the main frame between a loading position at a first elevation arranged to support a user in the torso support in a seated position relative to the foot supports and a walking position at a second elevation spaced above the first elevation and arranged to support the user in the torso support in an upright walking configuration relative to the foot supports. 
     
     
       6. The machine according to  claim 5  further comprising a seating surface carried on the main frame, the seating surface being movable between a seating position adapted to support a user seated thereon in the loading position of the torso support and a stored position in which the seating surface is displaced outwardly from the main frame relative to the seating position and does not interfere with the cyclical movement of the base link members and the corresponding walking configuration of the user. 
     
     
       7. The machine according to  claim 5  wherein a portion of at least one of the leg linkages can be readily separated in a loading position of the leg linkage in which the leg linkage is discontinuous between the main frame and the base link member. 
     
     
       8. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein each foot support is pivotal relative to the respective base link member about a laterally oriented rocker axis. 
     
     
       9. The machine according to  claim 8  wherein the rocker axis is located spaced above a supporting surface upon which a foot of the user is to be received. 
     
     
       10. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support is supported on the main frame so as to be pivotal relative to the main frame about a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the forward direction, the lateral axis of the torso support being adjacent to a hip joint of a user. 
     
     
       11. The machine according to  claim 10  wherein the torso support is supported on the main frame by a torso linkage so as to be pivotal relative to the main frame about said lateral axis within a prescribed range of movement defined by the torso linkage. 
     
     
       12. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support is supported on the main frame by a torso linkage so as to be pivotal relative to the main frame about a tilt axis oriented in the forward direction within a prescribed range of movement defined by the torso linkage. 
     
     
       13. The machine according to  claim 12  wherein the tilt axis is adjacent a bottom of the main frame. 
     
     
       14. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support is supported on the main frame by a torso linkage so as to be pivotal relative to the main frame about an upright axis within a prescribed range of movement defined by the torso linkage. 
     
     
       15. The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the torso support includes a seating surface adapted to support the user thereon in a seated position while the base link members are moved cyclically with the feet of the user supported on the foot supports. 
     
     
       16. The machine according to  claim 15  wherein the torso support is movable from the seated position to a walking position spaced above the seated position so as to be arranged to support the user in the torso support in an upright walking configuration relative to the foot supports, and wherein the handles are supported on the frame such that the handle axis is adjustable in height between respective seated and walking positions of the handles. 
     
     
       17. The machine according  claim 1  further comprising a motor operative connected to the crank assembly so as to be adapted to assist driving the cyclical movement of the base link members in addition to user input through the handles. 
     
     
       18. An exercise machine comprising:
 a main frame; 
 a torso support carried on the main frame so as to be arranged to support a torso of the user thereon facing in a forward direction; 
 two base link members supported on the main frame such that each base link member is supported for cyclical movement relative to the main frame; 
 two handles supported on the main frame for pivotal movement about a handle axis, each handle being operatively connected to a respective one of the base link members such that a cyclical movement of the handle drives the cyclical movement of the respective base link member; 
 two leg linkages operatively connected between the main frame and respective ones of the base link members, wherein (i) each leg linkage includes an upper link and a lower link, (ii) each upper link is pivotally coupled at a first end of the upper link on the main frame adjacent the torso support, (iii) each lower link is pivotally coupled at a first end of the lower link on a second end of the upper link, and (iv) each lower link is pivotally coupled at a second end on the respective base link member adjacent the respective foot support; and 
 a foot support carried on each base link member for supporting a respective foot of the user thereon, the foot support being pivotal relative to the base link member about a laterally oriented rocker axis independently of a pivotal motion of the lower link of the respective leg linkage relative to the base link member. 
 
     
     
       19. The machine according to  claim 18  wherein the rocker axis is located spaced above a supporting surface upon which a foot of the user is to be received. 
     
     
       20. An exercise machine comprising:
 a main frame; 
 two base link members supported on the main frame such that each base link member is supported for cyclical movement relative to the main frame; 
 two handles supported on the main frame for pivotal movement about a handle axis, each handle being operatively connected to a respective one of the base link members such that a cyclical movement of the handle drives the cyclical movement of the respective base link member; 
 a foot support carried on each base link member for supporting a respective foot of the user thereon; and 
 a torso support on the main frame spaced above the base link members so as to be arranged to support a torso of the user thereon in an upright walking orientation relative to the foot supports and facing in a forward direction; 
 a torso linkage supporting the torso support on the main frame such that the torso support is pivotal relative to the main frame about at least one axis within a prescribed range of movement defined by the torso linkage while the torso support continues to support the user thereon in the upright walking orientation. 
 
     
     
       21. The exercise machine according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one axis includes a lateral axis oriented perpendicularly to the forward direction, the lateral axis of the torso support being adjacent to a hip joint of a user. 
     
     
       22. The exercise machine according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one axis includes a tilt axis oriented in the forward direction. 
     
     
       23. The machine according to  claim 22  wherein the tilt axis is adjacent a bottom of the main frame. 
     
     
       24. The exercise machine according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one axis includes an upright axis that is upright in orientation.